A hardline faction of the Lagos-based Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has announced that it will halt all its vigilante activities following the arrest of its leader, Ganiyu Adams, media organisations reported.
Adams’ faction had become notorious for carrying out extrajudicial killings and executing suspected criminals in the Lagos area. The group had been banned since November 1999 after inciting ethnic riots in which hundreds died. Ganiyu was declared wanted and, after months on the run, he was arrested on 22 August and charged with 23 counts of murder, robbery and illegal possession of arms.
The OPC purports to defend the interests of the Yoruba people, one of Nigeria’s main ethnic groups.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article